Proverbs 40:20 - 22 says, "My son (and daughters), attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh." God's word is so powerful. I am thankful that "I can believe God's Word rather than what I might believe by looking ay my circumstances. Circumstances can deceive me, but God's word NEVER will."
Today I spent some time in some notes that I made from devotions during a difficult time in my life. It was very overwhelming. Some of the emotions I was experiencing at time came flooding back, but what I was MOST overwhelmed with was the goodness of God and how far he has brought me since then (which wasn't that long ago, chronologically, but miles away spiritually). I was also overwhelmed at the realization at how God had allowed that painful time in my life to be used to minister to people I care about. We CAN trust what God says. All things do work together for GOOD...although it can be hard to see at the time.
I am thankful to be around young people, including my daughter, who are willing to listen and learn and who have tender hearts and are seeking God's will in their lives. I envy them that opportunity, which I missed during my teenage years. I agree whole-heartedly with Pastor's mom, who said, "I am not trying to raise an ordinary teenager." I'm not, and I'm thankful my daughter is not and her friends are not...by God's grace. I am thankful that God has raised my children....in spite of me. HE IS SO GOOD....
About Me
- Julie Alexander
- Phenix City, Alabama, United States
- I have been called by God to serve Him through ministry to the orphan children of Africa! I have just started this journey! My prayer is that God will grant me wings so that I may swiftly arrive on the field! Please pray for his guiding!
6 comments:
Nice post. But, if circumstances deceive us, God willing, it may be a test. Or God may want to show us something wrong, which then doesn't make them deceiving. So if God shows us something and we believe it is deceiving (at the time) then how could one go through life literally fighting off the blessings of God??? Have fun... hehe. Later.
Julie,
I think you are brave to go back and look at what you wrote during the painful time of your life. Braver than me.
I, too, wrote my feelings and emotions during the rough time in my life, in a journal, on scraps of paper as I was feeling those emotions, I still have them, but have not looked at them since I wrote them, and I don't know if I want to read them and bring back all those painful memories again. Would I see God helping me in those writings, I don't know. What I do know though, is how much he has helped me since that time.
Have a great day tomorrow (your birthday).
Love Anna
Oops! Typo error - should have capitalized the H in He.
Sorry
OK, Mr. DefJef, as it is the 2nd anniversary of my 39th birthday, I think the beginnings of dementia are going to prevent me from giving a witty response to your challenge to my way of thinking. I will simply have to declare myself your elder and the expert and authority by default...keep it up, it really made me smile.
Anna,
Thanks for responding! God does see us through the tough times...remember the "Footprints in the Sand" picture! By the time I made these notes, they were focused on my devotions and I was focusing on thinking POSITIVELY. I try to make it a habit not to do what most secular counselling encourages you to do and reopen old wounds...maybe the best thing for you to do would be to "lose" those notes!
Luke 9:62 says "...No man, having put his had to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." Keep ploughing forward...don't spend too much time looking back now!
Hehe... It is only my pleasure to be able to be smart AND make people laugh (and not get slapped in the back of the head either!). Well, I completely understand... I gotta finish a science project... so, later. Btw... that verse helped more than one person... thanx again.
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